HOTHOUSE: CURRENTS

WELCOME TO THE CURRENT

When I speak with climate tech founders, one theme consistently emerges: the struggle to connect with the right people at the right time. Whether it's potential investors, commercial partners, or even fellow innovators, making meaningful connections in this rapidly evolving space is critical and challenging.

That's why I've launched HOTHOUSE: CURRENTS. I'll deliver practical insights, connection opportunities, and communication strategies weekly to help climate tech teams accelerate growth and maximize impact.

This week, we examine why prestigious innovation prizes like the X Prize hurt the climate technology narrative (and what to do about it) and why SVB feels bullish on climate technology investments.

Do you have an idea or topic for us to cover?
We'd love to hear from you.

Reva
Founder, HOTHOUSE
[email protected]

Industry Pulse:

Climate Tech Investment Sees Strong Rebound In Early 2023
Venture deal counts in clean energy and power companies have reached a record 382 in 2024, according to SVB's "The Future of Climate Tech 2025" report. The research points to three key drivers: the expanding role of mature renewables like solar, growing energy demands from technologies like AI, and the accelerating trend toward electrification. This growth is particularly notable given the challenging political climate, as the new administration moves away from climate-friendly initiatives.

AI Integration Driving Climate Tech Investment Growth
Recent analysis by PWC shows that AI-centered climate ventures raised $1 billion more in the first three quarters of 2024 than in 2023, as investors increasingly recognize AI's power to drive productivity and efficiency improvements in sustainability initiatives. This trend creates new partnership opportunities between AI specialists and traditional climate tech companies in energy optimization, emissions tracking, and climate adaptation.

HOTHOUSE INSIGHTS:

"The X Prize Paradox: Why A Growing Number of Climate Tech Founders Are Wary of Innovation Awards.”

In the world of breakthrough innovation, few accolades carry the prestige of an X Prize nomination.  Launched in 1994, the X Prize Foundation has become synonymous with catalyzing radical solutions to humanity’s most significant challenges through multimillion-dollar competitions designed to spark moonshot thinking and technological breakthroughs. From private spaceflight to carbon removal, these prizes have pushed the boundaries of what’s possible in science and technology. But here’s the paradox: for climate tech founders, the nomination is something to downplay instead of broadcasting.

Read on to understand why - and what can be done:

At HOTHOUSE, we provide a home base of support, tools, and exclusive growth opportunities to help connect high-growth climate technology companies with the people and opportunities that will help scale their impact. Get in touch to learn how we can help your team reach its growth goals.

[email protected]